Association between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions based on evidence from China family panel studies among reproductive-aged individuals in China

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between depressive status and changes in depressive status and fertility intentions among Chinese people of childbearing age. MethodsUsing data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), the depressive status of married individuals of childbearing age was as...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yuhao KONG, Ning MA, Xiaoyu LI, Chunhong LI, Su WANG, Zhihui LI
Format: Article
Language:zho
Published: Editorial Office of Chinese Journal of Public Health 2025-01-01
Series:Zhongguo gonggong weisheng
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.zgggws.com/article/doi/10.11847/zgggws1144886
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850249626390626304
author Yuhao KONG
Ning MA
Xiaoyu LI
Chunhong LI
Su WANG
Zhihui LI
author_facet Yuhao KONG
Ning MA
Xiaoyu LI
Chunhong LI
Su WANG
Zhihui LI
author_sort Yuhao KONG
collection DOAJ
description ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between depressive status and changes in depressive status and fertility intentions among Chinese people of childbearing age. MethodsUsing data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), the depressive status of married individuals of childbearing age was assessed based on the CES-D 8 questionnaire, with a score of ≥7 considered indicative of depressive symptoms. First, using the 2020 CFPS data, χ2 tests and logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between current depressive status and fertility intentions among married individuals of childbearing age. Second, combining the 2018 and 2020 CFPS data, logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of changes in depressive status from 2018 to 2020 on fertility intentions in 2020. ResultsA total of 8 905 married individuals of childbearing age were included in the 2020 CFPS survey, with a mean age of (37.1±7.3) years, of whom 53.7% were female. Among the participants, 1 068 (12.0%) expressed an intention to have children in the next two years. No significant correlation was found between depressive status and fertility intentions among all participants (OR=0.84, 95%CI: 0.69–1.03). Depressive status had an impact on women′s fertility intentions, with women experiencing depressive symptoms showing weaker fertility intentions (OR=0.74, 95%CI: 0.55–0.99), but no significant correlation was observed in men. Combining the 2018 and 2020 data, compared to individuals whose CES-D 8 scores remained unchanged or decreased from 2018 to 2020, individuals whose CES-D 8 scores increased (i.e., worsening depressive symptoms) showed a significant decrease in fertility intentions (OR=0.15, 95%CI: 0.04–0.62).ConclusionsThere is a significant correlation between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions in women, with women experiencing depressive symptoms more likely to exhibit weaker fertility intentions. Furthermore, as the severity of depressive symptoms increases, individuals' fertility intentions gradually weaken.
format Article
id doaj-art-2520bb53255d4b9ab67f9aaf2f5050bf
institution OA Journals
issn 1001-0580
language zho
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Editorial Office of Chinese Journal of Public Health
record_format Article
series Zhongguo gonggong weisheng
spelling doaj-art-2520bb53255d4b9ab67f9aaf2f5050bf2025-08-20T01:58:28ZzhoEditorial Office of Chinese Journal of Public HealthZhongguo gonggong weisheng1001-05802025-01-01411616710.11847/zgggws11448861144886Association between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions based on evidence from China family panel studies among reproductive-aged individuals in ChinaYuhao KONG0Ning MA1Xiaoyu LI2Chunhong LI3Su WANG4Zhihui LI5Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaVanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaSchool of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaVanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaSchool of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaVanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between depressive status and changes in depressive status and fertility intentions among Chinese people of childbearing age. MethodsUsing data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), the depressive status of married individuals of childbearing age was assessed based on the CES-D 8 questionnaire, with a score of ≥7 considered indicative of depressive symptoms. First, using the 2020 CFPS data, χ2 tests and logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between current depressive status and fertility intentions among married individuals of childbearing age. Second, combining the 2018 and 2020 CFPS data, logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of changes in depressive status from 2018 to 2020 on fertility intentions in 2020. ResultsA total of 8 905 married individuals of childbearing age were included in the 2020 CFPS survey, with a mean age of (37.1±7.3) years, of whom 53.7% were female. Among the participants, 1 068 (12.0%) expressed an intention to have children in the next two years. No significant correlation was found between depressive status and fertility intentions among all participants (OR=0.84, 95%CI: 0.69–1.03). Depressive status had an impact on women′s fertility intentions, with women experiencing depressive symptoms showing weaker fertility intentions (OR=0.74, 95%CI: 0.55–0.99), but no significant correlation was observed in men. Combining the 2018 and 2020 data, compared to individuals whose CES-D 8 scores remained unchanged or decreased from 2018 to 2020, individuals whose CES-D 8 scores increased (i.e., worsening depressive symptoms) showed a significant decrease in fertility intentions (OR=0.15, 95%CI: 0.04–0.62).ConclusionsThere is a significant correlation between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions in women, with women experiencing depressive symptoms more likely to exhibit weaker fertility intentions. Furthermore, as the severity of depressive symptoms increases, individuals' fertility intentions gradually weaken.https://www.zgggws.com/article/doi/10.11847/zgggws1144886depressionmental healthfertility intentionfertility behavior
spellingShingle Yuhao KONG
Ning MA
Xiaoyu LI
Chunhong LI
Su WANG
Zhihui LI
Association between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions based on evidence from China family panel studies among reproductive-aged individuals in China
Zhongguo gonggong weisheng
depression
mental health
fertility intention
fertility behavior
title Association between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions based on evidence from China family panel studies among reproductive-aged individuals in China
title_full Association between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions based on evidence from China family panel studies among reproductive-aged individuals in China
title_fullStr Association between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions based on evidence from China family panel studies among reproductive-aged individuals in China
title_full_unstemmed Association between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions based on evidence from China family panel studies among reproductive-aged individuals in China
title_short Association between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions based on evidence from China family panel studies among reproductive-aged individuals in China
title_sort association between depressive symptoms and fertility intentions based on evidence from china family panel studies among reproductive aged individuals in china
topic depression
mental health
fertility intention
fertility behavior
url https://www.zgggws.com/article/doi/10.11847/zgggws1144886
work_keys_str_mv AT yuhaokong associationbetweendepressivesymptomsandfertilityintentionsbasedonevidencefromchinafamilypanelstudiesamongreproductiveagedindividualsinchina
AT ningma associationbetweendepressivesymptomsandfertilityintentionsbasedonevidencefromchinafamilypanelstudiesamongreproductiveagedindividualsinchina
AT xiaoyuli associationbetweendepressivesymptomsandfertilityintentionsbasedonevidencefromchinafamilypanelstudiesamongreproductiveagedindividualsinchina
AT chunhongli associationbetweendepressivesymptomsandfertilityintentionsbasedonevidencefromchinafamilypanelstudiesamongreproductiveagedindividualsinchina
AT suwang associationbetweendepressivesymptomsandfertilityintentionsbasedonevidencefromchinafamilypanelstudiesamongreproductiveagedindividualsinchina
AT zhihuili associationbetweendepressivesymptomsandfertilityintentionsbasedonevidencefromchinafamilypanelstudiesamongreproductiveagedindividualsinchina